The spread of COVID-19 is forcing many companies to send employees home to work remotely. Some are loving it, some aren’t, but we all face an even bigger challenge of staying cyber-safe. Hackers are lurking in the shadows ready to steal both personal and business data. As you can imagine, it’s putting an incredible strain on both IT and security teams.
IT departments everywhere are using tried-and-true methods like setting employees up with cloud-based applications because the security is outsourced to vetted software programs. This allows IT to monitor it without needing access to an employee’s physical machine. Many departments have also set up BYOD and cybersecurity policies to include remote working, as well as multi-factor authentication and virtual private networks to ensure remote workers’ personal and business information is locked down and safer from attacks.
Technology aside, it’s the people element that’s really important. In addition to implementing IT measures, here are 3 simple tips that IT teams can easily put in place to keep employee and company data secure:
- Employee awareness and training
Keep in mind that 24 percent of data breaches are the result of human error. If you haven’t already, now is the time to set up security training protocols so employees know what to do and what to expect if they experience a security incident. If they do, it’s a good best practice to have an outlined procedure for reporting so employees know to immediately share any security threats and concerns with the IT team. - Regular check-ins
Arrange for IT to have regular virtual check-ins with remote employees to keep them updated on the latest threats and best practices. Ensuring IT and remote workers stay in touch is a great way to keep people connected and aids in team building as well. Team accountability also helps keep people painfully aware that their home-based web and Wi-Fi systems are vulnerable. - Human virus VS. tech virus
With the rapid growth of COVID-19, more and more scams are showing up in emails. Make sure that no one in your organization is tempted to click on them because, as you know, malware and other nasty viruses are being passed around like, well, the Coronavirus. Frequent reminders around data privacy considerations are not just a good suggestion but should be a company mandate.
We all know there’s no such thing as a perfectly secure workforce, but it pays to take proactive measures daily. And with the mass influx of new remote workers, it just makes security that much more vulnerable. Fortunately, most data breaches are preventable so, educate, educate, educate. Using safeguards and good communication gives you and your remote workers a clear path to reducing risk so they can breathe easy, and get the job done.
The team at LIFT regularly works with IT departments on how to implement communication plans and strategies to share their security initiatives and best practices with end-users. Reach out to us at info@liftinnovate to discuss how we can help you put a plan in place.